Reed-organ combined with pianoforte.



I. B. HAMILTON.

REED ORGAN COMBINED WITH PIANOFORTE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, I915- v 1,154,509. PatentedSept. 21, 1915.

IN VEN 7'01? James BFl/LL/E HFIM lLTalv fiTTaRNEVJ COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH $0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

nAI rE HAMILTON, on Lonnoii, EN A D- COMBINED VJITH PIANOFORTE.

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Application filed May 25. 1815.

To all whom ilmm con cal-i1 Be it known that I, JAMns Barnum HAM- nnon, asub ect of the King .of Great Brit ain, residingat 29 Upper Berkeley street,

Po-rtman Square, in the county of London, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Reed-Organs Combined with Pianofortes of which the following ,is a specification.

This invention relates to reed organs combined with pianofortes and has for its object to provide means whereby organ tones are produced with greater purity and volume than hitherto, and with a minimum of wind pressure, and broadly consists in providing the wind-chest with a resonant, or vibratory, wall which can be vibrated in accord, or in unison, with the individual note or chord, to be emitted by the organ, so that soundwaves are set up within the said wind-chest which waves pass to the reed chamber and co-act with the wind pressure within the said wind-chest, to vibrate the reed in a manner such that sound waves of greater purity and volume are emitted from the mouth of the reed box.

In carrying my invention into practical effect, one wall, or a part of one wall, of the wind-chest of'the organ is constituted by a sound-board, or belly, provided with a bridge, strings, striking and damper action, and operating keys, all of which may be similar in construction and arrangement to those provided in ordinary pianofortes with the exception, however, that provision is made to prevent sound-waves, emanating from the interior, or rear, surface, of the sound-board, or belly, of the wind-chest issuing into the outer air except through the mouths of the reed boxes. The wind-chest preferably extends above the said soundboard, or belly, and within this extension are arranged the reed boxes provided with reeds and valves, or pallets, all of the usual, or any desired construction. Mechanical, or

pneumatic, means actuated by the aforesaid operating keys are provided whereby the depression of any of the said keys causes the simultaneous opening of the valves, or pallets, of the corresponding reeds. The mechanical, or pneumatic, means are preferably situated in front of the aforesaid pianoforte action and are removable in order that access to. the said action may be had, which action is also removable as is usual in pianoforties; By depressing the keys and c nse Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1915.

Serial No. 30,323.

quently striking the pianoforte strings the sound-board, or belly, is vibrated causing sound-waves, accord with the strings struck, to be set up in the inclosed wind chest which pass to the simultaneously opened reed boxes. The sound-waves co-act with the wind pressure in the wind-chest on the reeds exposed thereto and notes, or chords, of greater purity and volume are emitted from the mouths of the reed boxes and greater quickness of speech and consequent saving of wind pressure are thus effected.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, in section, a reed organ combined with a pianoforte constructed in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the drawing 1, designates one of the operating keys, 2, the striking action of the pianoforte 3, one of the strings and 4, the soundboard, or belly, of the pianoforte, all of which may be of the usual, or any desired construction.

5, designates one of the reed boxes of the organ shown, by way of example, provided with a mouth 6, constructed in accordance with British Letters Patent No. 17,136 A, D. 1908 granted to me. 7, the pallet, or entrance valve, controlling the reed cell, 8, and 9, the portion of the wind-chest within which are arranged the reed boxes. The space 10, between the rear surface of the sound-board, or belly, 4i, and the back, 11, of the pianoforte is inclosed by any suitable means and made air-tight, and constitutes, in conjunction with the chest. 9, the wind-chest proper of the organ. The sound-board, or belly, 4, forms a part of one wall of the wind-chest and when, by striking the strings 3, the said sound-board, or belly, is vibrated, soundwaves, in accord with the strings struck, are

set up in the said chest and co-aet with the wind-pressure therein on the reed, or reeds, simultaneously exposed with the striking of the said string, or strings. By this means notes, or chords, of greater purity and volume are emitted from the mouths 6, of the reed boxes 5, and greater quickness of speech and consequent saving of wind pressure are thus effected. I

Any convenient mechanical, or pneumatic, means may be employed for exposing the reeds simultaneously with the striking of the strings. This is effected in the example shown in the accompanying drawing by me ehanieal means and consists in suit-ably mounting on the inner end of each of the operating keys 1, a sticker, or rod, 12, which upon the depression of the key causes, through a lever 13, connection 14, and lever 15, the sticker, or rod, 16, to be raised and consequently the pallet, or valve, 7, to be opened and the reed to be exposed.

The organ may be adapted either for wind pressure, orfor exhaustion; in the example shown it is adapted for pressure and this is effected by bellows 17, from which the air passes through a duct 18, to the wind-chest 10, 9, a reservoir, or controlling bellows, 19, being provided, as usual, which acts so as to maintain a uniform wind pressure within the said wind-chest.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction, or

Copies of this patent may be obtained for having a wind-chest, one wall, or part of one 25 wall, of which is constituted by the soundboard, or belly, of the pianoforte; substan tially for the purpose hereinbefore explained.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subseribing witnesses.

JAMES BAILLIE HAMILTON.

\Vitnesses:

GILBERT FLETCHER TYSON, VINCENT GIARDELLI.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

